Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-01-28

- - Ss ~ Ooo0Wfneo 20 the
B.& o. nssage-tropssty Dsmsesd oso,-
600 ss Port-rryIbg TO Biass the Ice.
The river was several feet lower on
Thursday morning ct Port Deposit than th e
highest point the previous day, and good
rart OF Main street. which had been under
water, was covered with thin ice The train
rom Perryville succeeded In getting to the
lower end of the town as fat rs Rock
Kun. Between these two terminals the
railroad track IL under water, and the
line OF the track marks the only cur
rent open on the river for miles Large
quantities OF Ice and broken timbers are
being carried down II, with parts Of outbuild'
ings and rubbish. The broken Ice is packed
from the Baltimore & Ohio bridge two
miles below Port, TO Conowingo, eight
miles above, making solid mass ten
miles In length. At the lower end !t
is eorging. When the big gorge at McCalrs
Ferry gives way II will precipitste another
mass Of ice on that around there, and
unless II breaks away below and commences
to float out q considerable rise in the
river may he looked for and much damage
from the ice 1t began to break al
the ferry Thursday afternoon, and some
alarm was felt for awhile, tb ough II only piled
the ice higher at Rock Run. In the afternoon
about half pest one the open current about
the railroad Track began running very rapidly
aud soon after the entire mass Of ice began
moving slowly down the river. 1t was sup
posed from this that the gorge had given
way below and that matters would improve,
but the run only lasted about ten minutes
when it stopped aud the loose ice was packed
as firmly as before. The movement was
caused by the break at McCalrs Ferry,
During the day q number of families on Main
street, who had not yet left their houses,
moved out all their lighter goods and put the
balance on the upper floors in anticipation OF
trouble at night The day bad been moder.
stely warm, and with An open channel the
current would soon clear the river. .Old resi-
dents say this is very early in the season for
q general breakup Last year ii did not
come until the middle Of February.
The amount of dansge dore would be hard
to determine until after the water has en-.
tlrely subsided. There are about three hun.
dred houses in the town, and all Of these
within reach OF the water have suffered some,
and those which back toward the river have
lost fences, outhouses, porches, etc. The lum.
Der dealers have also lost considerable stuh
A moderate estimate places the dsmase done
by the rise Of the river at ss0,0No The labor
ing people have not had great deal OF work
for some time past aud are not prepared 10
stand an extended siege Of food and ice.
a telegram was received that the ice al Nc
Calls Ferry had begun TO move, and trou.
BILE was expected there about 10 O'Clock.
Toward midnight however, there were no
indications of a break further up and it
/ is supposed that if the Ice did start it became
ismmed some distance above.
Considerable excitement has prevailed at
| Hsrve de Grace ali day, and the river shore
in the upper end OF town and the sout-
ments OF the Philsdelphis, Wilmington
& Baltimore railroad bridge were
crowded with people anxiously awaiting
o move Of the ice In the river, but
go far nothing serious has occurred there
The river is still clear below the Philsdel.
| phia, Wilmington & Baltimore railroad
bridge, but above Is tight and solid. No
serious trouble is anticipated. The'river there
| is,scsrcely a. high as at an ordinary high tide.
| party Of men went there from Port Deposit
| with large quSItity Of dynamite cartridges,
With the intention Of blowing up the heavy
ice around the centre of the T., ". and B. Z.
| r. bridge, SO as to cause II to move
| ana allow the lam above TO pass out
They went 10 the draw Of the bridge, and
| placing about two dozen cartridges fifty fee
north OF the draw pier, attached a battery
and set the cartridges of. The ex p,osion wa.
terrific, breaking all the windows, sbatterips
the door, and moving the root of the watch
box on the bridge. The watchman rar
away tust In time. The shock was fell
very sharply in Hayre de Grace, Jar
ring the houses, and in some places breaking
windows and causing great excitement Only
about ten square feet Of ice was torn up
hardly syipg for tho trouble. The telegraph
batteries on the draw were broken and dam
aged very much.
Safe Hsrbor's Condition.
Although the water has fallen somewh hat q
Safe Harbor it Is still high and the village
IN q bad condition. Large pieces Of Ice ar
| lying everywhere and the cellars are fllei
with water. The railroad tracks are covers
with ice aud train Is lying there unable I
proceed further.